Mark and I are heading back to the old country - google map - rental car - no fixed address. This could be very interesting - SIBLING POWER UNITE!!

Friday, 26 August 2011

Oh - It's not over...Travelling back to Rome

Travelling Back to Rome

One would think that our adventure would have ended yesterday as we were just heading to the hotel today to leave in the morning.Well not so much.The day started like this.I get up look in our mail box for our final bill.Glanced across to see that the kids had mail too.Kinda wierd, both rooms are billed to our room.There was an envelope with Vhari’s name on it.Instead of waiting for her to open it – I just ripped it open to see what it could be on the last morning. Well, don’t you know that it was a thank-you from the Signature Shops for her $867.00 purchase of jewellery from last night.I ran into her room, woke her up and said “WHAT THE F#$%!!!!” She had lost her card for about 45 minutes yesterday, and well you can figure it out.I remember rumbling something at Tim and bolted downstairs.I think that I skipped the first two floors of steps before my feet hit the ground the first time.Upon arriving at the front desk it was all I could do not to lose all my marbles, and explained in a somewhat non-confrontational voice that this was an error.After a great debate, the Shop Manager, and a couple of front desk people they removed the charge. (I think that they started to believe me when I asked them to review the security camera from that time, and I was happy to wait) .I did a quick review of our bill to make sure that everything else was okay, and noticed that we were not charged for our disembarkation to the airport.Now I have lost all my marbles and snapped all the happy colours of crayons.She found our forms and apologized, but could do nothing at this point because they were unsigned, but it is okay for a 15 year old to purchase close to 900 worth of jewellery. Really?? Are you kidding?OMG we were on our own.We had a sense of what is would be like as we witnessed it from the first leg of the cruise. (that is why I purchased the disembarkation)Let me put this picture in your head.You see a big ant hill and you poke it.That is what it looks like when you disembark on your own.After 30 minutes we finally managed to get our bags on the bus that takes you to the port terminal.At this point we looked for a cab – none to be found (we knew this from before)Tim and I decided that we would take the PUBLIC train into Rome, and get a cab from there.Remember the ant hill poking – well the train station was about times 20 worse as 3 cruise ships docked that morning.Tim asked for the express train, and first class. (yup still a princess on public transit)Well we got the milk run ticket in cattle class.Can you imagine the population of Calgary trying to squeeze on the C-Train with full on luggage?Oh yeah – did I mention that it was 36 degrees today.The kids felt sick from the heat, and have never ridden public transit like that before.We sent them into a stinky somewhat air conditioned car.Travis was able to get a seat (well – vhari’s seat) as he thought that he was going to pass out. Vhari had to stand for an hour with some guy who has not bathed for 1000 years, and two women who chewed gun like a camel.I think Vhari actually puked in her mouth a little in utter disgust. The stink eye was out in full force from them both. Tim and I stood at the door with the luggage and about 20 people in a 5 by 5 space.I swear to god that we were on a train from Deli, India.After an hour on this train, and more people getting on I had to get off the train.The first stop that looked like it was close to Rome I made everyone get off.Grabbed the wrong suitcase, had to jump back on to switch them before the train left.The silence was deafening between the four of us.We walked out of the terminal (god knows where we were and how far we had to go) found a cab.Watch him put our huge luggage in what appeared to be a smart car, we all piled in and he took us to the hotel.I did not care if it was 200 Euros, (it was only 40) I was not getting back on a train.Phew we made it.I took us a while to start talking to each other again..........I can only hope that it will be totally uneventful to the airport tomorrow morning.We have a free shuttle that picks us up at the door, loads the luggage and the airport is only 5 minutes away.Wish us luck.